Fire Exit Double Doors

[benjaminw24]

I have been a lurker on this forum for a while now and have run into a challenge, so I decided to create an account and post.

I am trying to open locked fire exit double doors (I will link pictures below). I am opening it from the inside as you will see in the pictures, and it leads to a small room with another (unlocked) exit door that leads outside.
On the doors that I am trying to get into, it says on the door, “Emergency Exit Unlocked By Fire Alarm.” Beside the door is a fire alarm pull station and attached underneath the emergency pull station is a lock that I assume also opens the door. I have tried picking the lock but have had no success. The only thing that is not an option for me at this point is wrecking anything, as I don’t want to have to pay for a damaged door.

I’m not sure if anybody here has any experience with these types of doors. I’m in Canada if that makes any difference. Also, I understand if this question is too specific, so if nobody can help I understand.

Links:

[Squelchtone]

Hi,
As this is your first post here and no prior introduction as to what your association is with trying to pick or open doors that are in use and in use for Life Safety purposes, our members here will be hesitant to help. We pick for fun as a hobby, and do our best not to help or teach someone who may mis use the info.

Are you a hobbyist? an in house maintenance guy? a locksmith? head of security at this facility? a tenant? a student? I dont know if your University wants you to be messing with those doors or that lock....

Does no one in facilities have keys for this mechanism who could open it for you? Why are you needing to get those doors opened, etc, we just need to know a little more. I'd hate to help someone pick doors they're not suppose to open and then they use that exit during a shooting spree, a robbery, to steal stuff, etc.

Hope that sounds fair and reasonable of us, thank you.
Squelchtone

PS. I'm also moving this from Introduction to Lockpicking FAQs to Locksmith Business - Closers and Crash Bars where things like fire doors, crash bars, etc are discussed. You may get more traction there.

[Evan]

I am trying to open locked fire exit double doors (I will link pictures below). I am opening it from the inside as you will see in the pictures, and it leads to a small room with another (unlocked) exit door that leads outside.
On the doors that I am trying to get into, it says on the door, “Emergency Exit Unlocked By Fire Alarm.” Beside the door is a fire alarm pull station and attached underneath the emergency pull station is a lock that I assume also opens the door. I have tried picking the lock but have had no success. The only thing that is not an option for me at this point is wrecking anything, as I don’t want to have to pay for a damaged door.

@benjaminw24:

It is clear that you are not supposed to open this door. You would either have the key or understand how the magnetic lock interfaces with the fire alarm system. That door interlock would specifically be tested during every quarterly fire alarm test/inspection as it is considered a critical life safety device.

As to how it works, that key switch merely interrupts locally (i.e. at the door) the circuit which energizes the maglock holding the door closed. The fire alarm system does the same thing via a supervised relay module (which could be located near the door or near one of the fire alarm panels in a utility room). If you have access to the fire alarm control panel you would be able to cycle that relay to test it if you wanted to as there would be specific controls for that to allow for easier testing/access by the fire department.

Since you seem to know nothing about how any of that works, I would definitely advise you to leave it all alone as you are not meant to access the promised land hidden beyond that portal.

~~ Evan

[tjohn]

oy

[cledry]

Why can't you push the door to the right open? It doesn't have a mag lock. Shouldn't this be a delayed egress system rather than prevent passing through except when the fire alarm is activated. What if there is an emergency other than a fire?

[tjohn]

It sounds like this person is just trying to use doors that they obviously aren't supposed to use and by admitting he has already tried "picking the lock" has admitted to illegal activity :/
If he was supposed to be doing anything to these he would know what to do

[Evan]

Why can't you push the door to the right open? It doesn't have a mag lock. Shouldn't this be a delayed egress system rather than prevent passing through except when the fire alarm is activated. What if there is an emergency other than a fire?

I would assume that the blue pull station releases the doors and activates some sort of alarm to summon the authorities.

I am not sure what Canadian life safety codes are, but if it was "delayed egress" it should be marked as such.

~~ Evan

[Ralph_Goodman]

The sign lets you know how to open. If there is a fire, pull the alarm. Then it will be open.

Simple fix: Wait until an emergency, and then use your emergency exits.

Serious note: If you are in charge of the facility and have found that the system is not working as intended, you should call a professional to fix the door. Anything else risks not being in compliance with local laws.

[Tyler J. Thomas]

I'm with Cledry; not sure why the right door can't simply be pushed open. Also, if that's a fire rated assembly why is the exit hardware installed with dogging features? That's a big no no.

[Squelchtone]

Anyone have an idea why the pull station is blue and not red? Canadian thing?

Edit: google tells me its a special pull station to open doors in emergency. http://www.amazon.com/SDC-492-Station-E ... B014UMDQRW

And this one that looks closer to OPs pic: https://www.buyfirealarmparts.com/shop/ ... -701e.html

Would pulling that set off *an* alarm somewhere to alert a receptionist or security guard? or would it set off *the* fire alarm?

[cledry]

I'm with Cledry; not sure why the right door can't simply be pushed open. Also, if that's a fire rated assembly why is the exit hardware installed with dogging features? That's a big no no.

Good catch on the dogging feature.

[Robotnik]

Why can't you push the door to the right open? It doesn't have a mag lock. Shouldn't this be a delayed egress system rather than prevent passing through except when the fire alarm is activated. What if there is an emergency other than a fire?

My guess would be some kind of overlapping astragal fixed to the leaf with the mag lock that prevents the adjacent leaf from opening with the panic hardware when the mag is engaged.

Definitely engage the services of a professional if there's a functional issue with the door. Emergency exits aren't anything to play around with; a failure here could kill someone.

[Robotnik]

Would pulling that set off *an* alarm somewhere to alert a receptionist or security guard? or would it set off *the* fire alarm?

Depends on how it's wired. In a larger facility with a correspondingly complex fire system, a device may be tied in to the system and receive an unlock signal from the FACP in the event of a fire alarm. As far as that particular pull station being an initiating device - if I were to venture a guess - it would probably trigger a supervisory signal rather than an alarm.

That said, it's certainly possible to initiate an alarm with that pull station if the system's programmed to treat its activation as such. Not certain about the code-compliance of this configuration, though.

[Evan]

Would pulling that set off *an* alarm somewhere to alert a receptionist or security guard? or would it set off *the* fire alarm?

Depends on how it's wired. In a larger facility with a correspondingly complex fire system, a device may be tied in to the system and receive an unlock signal from the FACP in the event of a fire alarm. As far as that particular pull station being an initiating device - if I were to venture a guess - it would probably trigger a supervisory signal rather than an alarm.

That said, it's certainly possible to initiate an alarm with that pull station if the system's programmed to treat its activation as such. Not certain about the code-compliance of this configuration, though.

I would agree. Much like the "valve tamper" indicators on sprinkler zone valves trigger a supervisory alarm.

Not every point in a complicated fire alarm system triggers the "general alarm" for evacuation.

~~ Evan

[cledry]

Why can't you push the door to the right open? It doesn't have a mag lock. Shouldn't this be a delayed egress system rather than prevent passing through except when the fire alarm is activated. What if there is an emergency other than a fire?

My guess would be some kind of overlapping astragal fixed to the leaf with the mag lock that prevents the adjacent leaf from opening with the panic hardware when the mag is engaged.

Definitely engage the services of a professional if there's a functional issue with the door. Emergency exits aren't anything to play around with; a failure here could kill someone.

The astragal would be against code here, you have to be able to open either door with the panic bar independently. Not sure about Canadian code.